There comes a time for any great player when they find the stage. The stage will be littered with other great players, storylines, history, and much more.

The great players elevate. They show their worth and add notches to their belt.

It’s not because they are just good, it’s because they’re great. A good player can play well on the stage – a great player makes the stage his own.

Game 6 in Philadelphia was a stage, just like the first round series between the cross-state rivals. Flyers forward Claude Giroux made it his.

He set a franchise record for points in a playoff series with 14. He also extended his lead as the top scorer in the playoffs. If the Conn Smythe Trophy were given away after the first round, Giroux would most likely hoist it.

Is this the end of the line for the Penguins? Maybe, maybe not, but it doesn’t matter. Today is no longer an elimination game, it is a gut check.

This is a test for Pittsburgh, to show if they still have it. If they can play hockey, actually, play hockey.

Today is no longer a game, it is going to show Pittsburgh’s character, Pittsburgh’s heart, and most of all it reputation.

Mario Lemieux shook his head, said this wasn’t his team, and was embarrassed by their actions. Pittsburgh fans and writers alike have been horrified by the actions taken in game 3. It is up to the Pens to change that. Only...

The playful metaphor that was used by The Checking Line at the beginning of the season is the only thing playful about the NHL Discipline Office these days. It has become once again the mainstay of controversy in the NHL playoffs. Fining coaches unnecessary amounts for comments made, yet allowing player safety issues to be countered by useless fines. The NHL has lost its hold on itself and there is only one thing to truly blame, its own media.

The most perfect example of this, recent comments made by New York Rangers head coach John Tortorella. Why is this, the perfect example? Well that can be answered by just checking the NHL web site. Coach Torts&rsq...

The Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins faced off in a playoff game. One team lost its cool and went over the line. They seemed to come close but never had enough to get over the hump.

One team looked like it was trying to exercise its demons and yet seemed so far from actually doing it.

Normally, that team is in black and orange. However, this time the orange has been swapped out for gold.

Sunday’s 8-4 game three win for Philadelphia felt like it was played in an opposite universe. Not long ago, Daniel Carcillo was running amok and Max Talbot was shushing the Wells Fargo Center crowd.

It seems like yesterday when Captain Mike Richards was losing his cool and letting the Pittsburgh superstars get under his skin. With those teams, it seemed like they’d never get over the brink against the Penguins.

Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos reported on Monday that two Pittsburgh Penguins will face disciplinary hearings on Tuesday morning for their actions in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

James Neal will have two hearings at 10am - one for his 3rd period hits on Sean Couturier and Claude Giroux.

Neal left his feet on the hit on Couturier, a hit that was unfounded and unnecessary as the rookie did not have control of the puck and it was nowhere near him. Neal targeted Couturier's head and left the 19-year-old dazed. Couturier left the ice for a few minutes to be tended to, but thankfully returned to finish the rest of the game.

It looked like a blatant attempt to take Couturier out, but Neal claimed it wasn't intentional.

First off, before this rant ensues, I must give a truckload of credit to the Flyers. They have asserted themselves as the dominant force. They have made every play, won every race, and finished every shift since period 2 of game 1. They have not backed down, they have not given in, and they damn sure have not played like playoff rookies. Kudos to all of those kids who have been disciplined, who have been smart, and who have played like aged veterans. Now….

What can be said? I am embarrassed as a Penguin fan. From top to bottom this team has lost. They have lost their heart, their identity, and their dignity. At this point it is just ...

Heading into the third game of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, the Philadelphia Flyers have momentum on their side. Despite trailing the Pittsburgh Penguins by two goals or more in the first two games, the resilient group battled back in both and have taken a 2-0 series lead.

On Sunday, the two teams will meet for Game 3. The Flyers have already established their dominance over the Penguins, and have done so in dramatic fashion. They will be looking to make it three wins in a row, while the Penguins will hope to find their footing and earn their first victory of the series.

The Flyers had a 2-1 record against the Penguins at home and a 22-13-6 record overall in the Wells Fargo Center during the regular season, while Pittsburgh had a 22-15-4 road record.

Pittsburgh was the 2nd highest-scoring team on the road this season with 127 goals, while the Flyers were the 3rd highest-scoring home team with 139.